Luke 22, verses 24 to 38.
A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
And he said to them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them,
and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
But not so with you.
Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves.
For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves?
Is it not the one who reclines at table?
But I am among you as the one who serves.
You are those who have stayed with me in my trials,
and I assign to you as my father assigned to me a kingdom,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom
and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,
that he might sift you like wheat.
But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.
Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.
Jesus said, I tell you, Peter,
the rooster will not crow this day until you deny three times that you know me.
And he said to them,
When I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals,
did you lack anything?
They said nothing.
He said to them,
But now let the one who has a money bag take it,
and likewise a knapsack.
And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me.
And he was numbered with the transgressors.
For what is written about me has its fulfillment.
And they said,
Look, Lord, here are two swords.
And he said to them,
It is enough.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
When someone is on his or her deathbed,
there's a solemnity to those last moments,
those final moments.
And likely that person is going to be very selective with the words that he or she says,
very intentional about the people that he spends time with.
And we see a similar thing going on here in our passage,
because Jesus is preparing for his death.
He's impending death on the cross.
He's gathered his 12 apostles to have a final Passover meal with them.
And these are his parting remarks.
His final instruction on what it means to be a Christian,
what it means to be a follower of Christ,
a disciple of Christ.
And so we ought to all the more pay attention to what he tells us here.
And the main point of this passage is this,
that Christ's service, intercession, and suffering
enable and exemplify Christian discipleship.
And first we're going to look at Christ's service,
and then Christ's intercession, and Christ's suffering.
Let's look first at Christ's service in verses 24 to 30.
In last week's passage, if you remember,
Jesus told his disciples that the hand of him who betrays him,
betrays me, he said, is with me on the table.
That's a shocking thing to say,
because to have table fellowship with someone,
to eat this intimate meal with someone,
is a gesture of trust.
It's really you're saying that these are people,
my trusted companions, my friends.
And yet out of that intimate circle,
there is a hand that is going to betray Jesus.
And so it's no surprise that it says in verse 23 of chapter 22,
the disciples began to question one another,
which of them it would be that is going to do this.
It's not me.
Maybe it's you.
You've been really quiet today.
And it's not hard to imagine how that conversation
then erupts into this in verse 24.
A dispute also arose among them
as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
I can imagine the scene.
It's who among us will betray Jesus?
Well, certainly not me.
I'm the most loyal and important disciple of the 12.
That's why Jesus always sends me out on his special missions.
You're the most important?
Certainly not.
I'm the best preacher.
I'm the best organizer.
Did you open the eyes of the blind?
Well, I did.
And then you could see Peter and John
maybe rearing their heads and,
well, I think we have you all beat.
Were you there at the transfiguration
when Jesus was transformed before our very eyes
into his glorious heavenly self?
So apparently this was one of the favorite subjects
to discuss among the disciples
in the same way New Englanders always like to discuss
who's the greatest quarterback, right?
They're arguing who's the greatest disciple
because they argued about this earlier
in Luke chapter 9, verses 46 to 48 as well.
And Luke chooses a very colorful word
to describe this argument.
He says that a dispute arose among them.
The word dispute in the Greek,
the original Greek word,
it's a compound word that literally means
love of victory, love of glory.
They are seeking to triumph over each other,
to outshine each other.
They want to one up all the other disciples.
They want to be the greatest.
But Jesus shows them another way in verses 25 to 26.
And he said to them,
the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them,
and those in authority over them
are called the benefactors.
Jesus uses many words here to describe
those who were prominent and powerful
among the Gentiles.
Kings who exercise lordship,
those in authority,
and benefactors.
That's probably the most confusing term used here
because benefactor sounds very generous
and benevolent, right?
In English, it's a positive term
in the way we use it.
But in its original usage here in the Bible,
it can refer not just to good people,
but also to tyrants.
It's a term that designates class,
people who claim to be the patrons of society,
the celebrities,
those who have power and position
that can bestow favor upon people.
And they believe,
they style themselves as benefactors,
saying that you all,
you commoners,
have your livelihood because of us.
They were the benefactors.
And Gentile rulers set themselves
over their subjects,
lording it over them
and styling themselves to be such patrons.
But Jesus tells his disciples in verse 26,
but not so with you.
In the sentence,
in the Greek,
again,
the pronoun you
is fronted for emphasis.
So it's literally,
but you,
not so.
But you are not to be so.
All the rulers in the world
might behave that way,
but you,
my disciples,
are not to do that.
Rather,
Jesus says,
let the greatest among you
become as the youngest
and the leader as one who serves.
Notice Jesus doesn't say that
there ought to be no leaders.
He assumes that there are leaders.
The Bible consistently affirms
healthy leadership as a good thing.
For example,
Hebrews 13,
verse 7 says,
Obey your leaders
and submit to them,
for they are keeping watch
over your souls
as those who will have
to give an account.
Let them do this with joy
and not with groaning,
for that would be
of no advantage to you.
So Jesus is not
discounting leadership.
Rather,
he is here defining it,
what it should look like.
In the ancient world,
the younger people
got the most menial tasks
and they had to serve
the older people.
And that's actually
not just in the ancient world.
Things haven't changed
too much, right?
That's the case
even in our
supposedly egalitarian society.
Right?
Rookies on sports teams
have to grab the bagels
and the newspapers
for their teammates.
They have to perform
other embarrassing acts
like wearing, you know,
children's backpacks,
Barbie doll backpacks
to their games.
Right?
This is what I read.
Junior,
junior,
junior office members,
junior office members
that are new to the office,
they are tasked
with taking meeting notes,
right?
And getting the coffee,
fetching the food.
The more senior members
will not deign to do.
Freshmen in high school,
right?
Freshmen in college
are often dismissively treated,
turn into memes,
and excluded
from certain social scenes,
right?
And privileges.
But Jesus instructs
his disciples
not to exploit
the seniority
and authority
to their selfish advantage.
The most senior person
should serve even
like the most junior person.
That means Christian leaders
in the workplace
should never talk down
to their subordinates.
They should never belittle
other people's gifts
and their contribution.
God calls Christian men
to be leaders
in their homes.
But a Christian husband
who does not deign
to wash dishes
or do laundry
because he sees them
as beneath his dignity
is not practicing
Christian leadership.
That's worldly leadership.
a Christian husband
who speaks condescendingly
to his wife
that doesn't listen
to his wife
but makes self-serving decisions
is not practicing
Christian leadership.
That's worldly leadership.
A Christian father
who does not deign
to play with his children
to indulge them
that refuses to change diapers
because that's beneath his dignity
is not practicing
Christian leadership.
A Christian pastor
who avoids meeting
with counseling
the most difficult members
who only meets with members
who tithe the most
who serve the most
is not practicing
Christian leadership.
That's worldly leadership.
The leaders among God's people
should not be pulling rank
on other church members.
They should never use their authority
to bully people into submission.
They should never resort
to shaming
or blame shifting
to maintain control
and to protect themselves.
This is why
when we appoint our leaders
we try to make a point
that when we appoint our deacons
we give them as gifts
towels
literal towels
with our church logo
emblazoned on it
to remind them
that they are not receiving
a title
that comes with a set
of entitlements
but that they are receiving
a towel of service
in the same way
Jesus took the towel
to wash the feet
of his disciples.
That's what it means
to be a deacon.
This is why
when we ordain elders
we give them a Bible
and not a robe
or a gavel
to remind them
that they are not
the law.
God's word
is the law
and they have authority
in the church
only insofar
as they submit
to God's word
and apply what
God's word teaches.
They're servants
ministers of God's word.
Let the greatest
among you
become as the youngest
and the leader
as one who serves.
Jesus is not
nullifying authority
but he is
qualifying authority.
Christian leadership
is therefore
to be characterized
by Christ-like humility
and service
and not by a fragile
approval craving
and power grabbing
ego.
That's why
1 Peter 5
specifically exhorts
elders of the church
to exercise oversight
without domineering.
And why
should Christian leadership
look like this?
Jesus gives us
the reason
in verse 27
for
who is the greater
one who reclines
at table
or one who serves?
Is it not the one
who reclines
at table?
But I
am among you
as the one
who serves.
Jesus is asking
a rhetorical question
that has an obvious
answer.
When you go
to a restaurant
what does the
power dynamic
look like
at the restaurant?
There's a model,
right?
A truism
among service
providers.
The customer
is always right.
It's not true
but that's how
they are taught
to serve.
Customer is king.
It points
to the importance
of catering
to the customer's
expectations
to ensure
their satisfaction.
It makes it obvious
the one who waits
at the table.
The server
does the bidding
of the one
who reclines
at table.
The one who is
eating,
the one who's
reclining at table
is the greater
one.
But,
Jesus says,
but I am
among you
as the one
who serves.
In the same way
that Jesus
emphasized the pronoun
you in verse 26,
but you are not so.
He says here
in verse 27,
I,
but I am
among you
as the one
who serves.
The one
who reclines
is greater
than the one
who serves.
And if anyone
deserves to recline
at table
to be served
by the rest,
that's Jesus.
But he says,
I'm the messianic king.
I'm the son of God.
I'm the savior
of the world.
But I,
but I myself
am among you
as the one
who serves.
That's why
Christian leadership
is characterized
by service.
Because Christ's
service
enables and
exemplifies
Christian discipleship.
Jesus,
think about this,
Jesus is the
holy one,
the sinless
lamb of God,
yet he died
on the cross
in the place
of sinners.
He's the son of God,
yet he
took on
human flesh,
became a son of man
to live,
to represent us.
he is the king,
but he served
with his life
and with his death.
That's true greatness.
That's
Christian leadership.
That means
Christian leaders,
I didn't fully
understand this
when I
volunteered
to become
a Christian leader.
and so many
people,
and I'm still
learning this,
and so many
people don't
understand this
when they seek
positions of
authority
in the church.
Christian leaders
are called
to suffer
at the hands
of those
whom they serve.
They're called
to receive
criticisms,
even unfair
ones,
graciously.
they are called
to heal
the people
who hurt
them.
They're called
to be slandered
by the very
people that
they counsel.
They're called
to give
to people
who give
nothing back.
They are called
to teach people
who will not
listen.
They're called
to endure
beatings
and jail
terms,
not to
protect themselves,
but to protect
the people
that God
entrusted to
them.
They are called
to love
people
who don't
appreciate
them.
They're called
to serve
people that
want to
replace
them.
Why?
Because that's
what Christ
did.
That's how
Christ lived
through
humiliations
and
sufferings.
Knowing well
that this is
not an easy
command to
obey,
Jesus provides
further
motivation in
verses 28
to 30.
You are
those who
have stayed
with me
in my
trials,
and I
assign to
you,
as my
father
assigned to
me,
a kingdom
that you
may eat
and drink
at my
table
in my
kingdom
and sit
on thrones
judging
the twelve
tribes of
Israel.
So is
there any
reward for
staying with
Jesus in
his trials?
the answer
is yes.
And Jesus'
promised reward
is extravagant.
Jesus bequeaths
the kingdom
that God the
father himself
gave to him
to these
twelve
apostles.
And notice the
contrast between
verses 29 to
30 and
verses 25 to
27.
Now,
in this
present life,
now,
they are not
to behave like
the kings of the
Gentiles who
exercise lordship.
but Christ
promises them
a kingdom
in the
age to
come
where they
will sit
on thrones
judging the
twelve tribes
of Israel.
No,
now you
serve.
Later you
will rule.
Later you
will get to
sit on
thrones to
judge.
Now,
they are not
to be like
those who
recline at
table.
But Christ
promises them
that a day
is coming
when they
will eat
and drink
at his
table
in his
kingdom.
The point
of the
contrast is
obvious.
You
sacrifice,
you serve,
you suffer
now.
You endure
humiliation and
injustice for the
sake of Christ
now.
But when the
kingdom of God
is fulfilled,
you will get
to recline
at the
eternal
heavenly banquet
with Jesus,
your king
himself.
Christ
will vindicate
you and
he will
bestow on
you honor,
praise,
and glory.
Though the
promise is
given specifically
to the
twelve apostles,
minus Judas,
of course,
and though they
do have a
unique role
in standing
among the
people of
God because
they're the
foundation of
the church,
the apostles,
because the
twelve are
leaders and
representatives
of the
whole people
of God,
we the
church will
also share
in Christ's
reign.
Earlier in
Luke 19
verses 11
to 27 in
the parable
of the
minus,
Jesus speaking
generally,
not just of
the twelve
apostles,
but generally
of all those
who serve
God,
he said he
promised reward
each of them,
he promised to
reward them
with rule
over cities
in the kingdom
of God.
This is
confirmed by
other passages
of scripture
like Ephesians
2.6 that
speak of
believers being
seated with
Christ in
heavenly places.
And 2 Timothy
2 verse 12
which promises
that if we
endure,
we will also
reign with
Christ.
God will
have us
share in
his throne
and his reign.
that's so
magnanimous.
God is the
creator and
we are
creatures.
God's the
king and
we are his
servants,
slaves.
God is the
potter.
We are his
pottery.
And yet
after our
lifetime of
haltering
witness and
faltering
faithfulness,
Christ will
take us.
If we
endure to
the end,
stay with
Christ to
the end,
he will
take us
and seat
us on
his throne
to share
in his
reign in
the kingdom
of God.
That should
motivate us
to follow in
the pattern of
service that
Christ set for
us.
Christ's
service.
And not
only Christ's
service, but
Christ's
intercession on
our behalf also
enables and
exemplifies Christian
discipleship.
That's my
second point.
Jesus says in
verse 31,
Simon,
behold,
Satan demanded
to have you
that he might
sift you like
wheat,
calling someone's
name twice like
this in this
culture conveys
particular earnestness
and affection.
That's what he
said earlier when
he said,
Martha,
Martha.
That's what he
said when he
said,
Jerusalem,
Jerusalem.
So now he
says,
Simon,
Simon.
And though
Jesus is
addressing Peter
here specifically,
the pronoun
you in
verse 31,
which occurs
twice there in
verse 31,
is in both
instances plural.
So it's
actually you
all referring
to all the
apostles.
Satan has
demanded to
have all of
the apostles.
He has
demanded to
sift all
these apostles
like wheat.
In the same
way, he
demanded to
have Job in
Job chapter
1,
verses 6 to
12,
in order to
afflict him
and to
tempt him to
renounce his
allegiance to
God.
Satan is
trying to
do the
same with
these 12
apostles.
He's asked
of them.
He wants
to sift
them.
But he
has a
particular
design for
Peter because
Peter is the
first among
equals.
He's the
leader among
the 12
apostles.
He's the
spokesperson.
And sifting
is a very
vivid image.
When farmers
harvest wheat,
there's a
lot of
debris that
come with
the wheat,
the kernels.
So in
order to
isolate the
grains, they
use a
sieve, move
it back and
forth to
separate the
wheat from
the debris.
The wheat
falls through
the small
holes to the
ground.
The larger
debris, they
get caught
and get
picked off.
That's what
Satan is
trying to
do.
With Peter
and the
apostles, he
wants to
expose them
as a
fraud, as
debris, to
pick them
off and
discard them.
But this
is what
Satan does,
not just
with the
12 apostles.
This is what
he seeks to
do with
every believer
as well.
1 Peter
chapter 5
verse 8
warns us
your
adversary,
the devil,
prowls
around like
a roaring
lion,
seeking
someone to
devour.
When we
believed in
Jesus Christ
and confessed
him as our
Lord and
Savior, we
were transferred
from the
dominion of
evil to
the dominion
of light,
the dominion
of Christ,
the kingdom
of God.
And precisely
because we're
no longer
Satan's
slaves,
we are
by definition
his enemies.
We have
targets on
our backs.
It should
come as no
surprise to
us that
there's
spiritual
warfare
around us.
But Satan
is not
the only
actor in
this story.
Look at
what Jesus
says in
verse 32.
But I
have prayed
for you
that your
faith may
not fail.
And when you
have turned
again,
strengthen
your
brothers.
This is a
remarkable
thing that
Jesus says
here.
Think about
it for a
moment.
Satan is
sifting you
with menace.
He seeks
to destroy
you.
He is a
roaring lion
prowling about
seeking to
devour you.
But don't
you worry.
I pray for
you.
if that
sounds ridiculous
to us,
it's because
we have so
little faith
in the
power of
prayer.
Nowadays,
I read a
lot of
people on
social media
say things
like,
sending
good vibes
your way.
You know,
I appreciate
the thought,
I really
do.
But frankly,
you sending
me good vibes
doesn't do
me any
good.
What in
the world
is vibes
anyway,
right?
But I
think
Christians
often think
of prayer
in the
same way.
We think
prayer is
like a
Christian
equivalent
of sending
good vibes
or keeping
our fingers
crossed.
But that
is a
gross
devaluation
of prayer.
When we
ask each
other,
please pray
for me,
when we
tell each
other,
I will
pray for
you,
these are
not mere
pleasantries.
When you
say,
I will
pray for
you,
you're
saying,
you're not
saying,
oh,
let's just
hope for
the best.
You're
saying,
I will
go to
battle
for you.
You're
saying,
I will
go run
this
difficult
errand
for you.
I will
go to
the king
himself
and speak
for you.
That's
what prayer
is.
Think of
it this
way,
when you're
talking to
a customer
service agent,
but he or
she doesn't
seem to
understand the
gravity of the
situation,
or they don't
have enough
authorization to
actually help
you,
what do you
do?
You say,
hey,
can I
please talk
to your
manager?
manager,
you're
escalating
the case.
So you
can talk
to someone
that actually
has a
power to
do something
to help
you.
Similarly,
when we
pray,
we're
saying,
I'm
done
trying to
sort out
my
problems
and my
friends
and my
families,
my
church's
concerns
with mere
mortals.
I'm
escalating
the case,
I'm
going to
take it
to the
throne
of heaven,
to God
himself.
That's
what prayer
is.
What Jesus
says to
Peter only
makes sense
when we
understand
that
properly.
Simon,
behold,
Satan
demanded
to have
you,
that he
might
sift you
like
wheat,
but I
have
prayed
for you
that your
faith may
not fail.
And Jesus
prays for
us as
well.
Hebrews
7,
23 to
25,
they say
the former
priests
were many
in number
because they
were prevented
by death
from continuing
in office.
But Christ
holds his
priesthood
permanently
because he
continues
forever.
Consequently,
he's able to
save to the
uttermost
those who
draw near
to God
through him
since he
always lives
to make
intercession
for them.
Jesus
lives
forever
at the
right hand
of God
the Father
and he
is
presently
making
intercession
for you.
When you
fear that
your faith
will fail,
when you
fear that
the tempter,
the devil
would prevail
in your life,
remember that
Jesus is
praying for
you.
He has
your back
and he
is interceding
for you
at the
Father's
right hand.
He has
the year
of the
God
Almighty
and his
mighty
intercession
for you
never
fails.
The second
and third
stanza
of the
Charles
Wesley hymn
Arise,
my soul
arise,
describe
Christ's
intercession
on our
behalf
beautifully.
He says,
he ever
lives
above
for me
to intercede,
his all
redeeming
love,
his precious
blood
to plead,
his blood
atoned
for every
race,
his blood
atoned
for every
race,
and sprinkles
now the
throne
of grace.
Five
bleeding
wounds
he bears
received
on Calvary,
they pour
effectual
prayers,
they strongly
plead for
me,
forgive him,
oh forgive,
they cry,
forgive him,
oh forgive,
they cry,
nor let
that
ransomed
sinner
die.
When you
feel burdened,
weighed down
by guilt
and condemnation,
remember that
Christ's
blood
pleads
for you,
he's at
the right
hand of the
father
interceding
for you,
saying he
belongs
to me,
she
is my
child,
they've
been clothed
with my
righteousness,
and I
will preserve
them to
the end,
that's
what Christ
is doing
for you.
And Jesus
has full
confidence
that his
prayer will
be answered,
so he
says to
Peter,
and when
you have
turned
again,
strengthen
your
brothers.
Jesus
knows that
Peter will
go astray,
but he
also knows
that he
will turn
back again,
thanks to
his prayers.
This is so
instructive for
us,
because Jesus
knows that
Peter will
be restored
among the
twelve apostles
as a leader,
and he
gives him
here a
great commission
to strengthen
his fellow
brothers,
but this
teaches us
that he
who is
given this
great commission
to strengthen
his brothers
is not
someone who
is strong,
is not
someone who
is invincible,
it's not
someone who
never falls,
but it's
someone who
falls and
then rises
again.
It's
someone who
goes astray,
but turns
back again.
It's
someone who
sins,
but
repents
again.
So don't
you ever
believe the
lie of the
enemy that
tells you that
God cannot
use you because
of your past,
that God
will not use
you because
of your
sins,
that God
will not
use you
because of
your failures.
1 Corinthians
1, 27-29
says,
God chose
what is
foolish in
the world
to shame
the wise.
God chose
what is
weak in
the world
to shame
the strong.
God chose
what is
low and
despised in
the world,
even things
that are
not,
to bring
to nothing
things that
are,
so that
no human
being might
boast in
the presence
of God.
God's
standard
mode of
operation.
He does
this to
humble the
pride of
man and
glorify his
own name,
so that if
you're living
in sin
today,
renounce it
before God.
Turn again
and then
strengthen your
brothers,
strengthen your
sisters.
Don't remain
self-focused,
just inwardly
turn onto
yourself,
orient yourself
instead toward
others,
move on
from your
sins,
renounce
them,
turn to
Christ,
and strengthen
your church
family.
But Peter
didn't quite
understand that
this is how
God likes to
do things,
at least not
yet.
So with all
the bravado
that he can
muster up,
he says in
verse 33,
Lord,
I am ready
to go with
you both to
prison and
to death.
But Jesus
kind of brings
him back down
to earth,
verse 34,
I tell you,
Peter,
the rooster
will not
crow this
day until
you deny
three times
that you
know me.
A rooster's
crow in the
night anticipates
the sunrise.
So Jesus
is saying
here that
before the
night is
over,
you will
deny three
times that
you even
know me.
Peter will
be in
prison for
Christ later
in Acts
5.
Peter will
be martyred
for Christ.
hung upside
down on a
cross.
But not
before he
fails miserably
and denies
Jesus three
times.
Not before he
is humbled
and taught to
depend on
God.
Pride goes
before
destruction.
Peter thought
he could stand
with Jesus in
his own strength,
but Jesus
tells him
that he
can't.
Not once
or twice,
but three
times he
refused to
admit that
he even
knows Jesus,
let alone
admit that
he is one
of Jesus'
twelve
apostles.
This is a
sobering
warning for
all of us.
Therefore
let anyone
who thinks
that he
stands
take heed
lest he
fall.
It says
in 1
Corinthians
10-12.
Don't ever
get secure
in your own
abilities,
in your
own willpower,
your
resolutions.
Instead
lean on
God's
strength,
his
sustaining
power.
Lean on
Christ's
intercession
on your
behalf.
Don't ever
think that
you are
immune to
certain
sins.
Oh, I
don't deal
with those
issues,
so I can
do these
things while
they can't.
We're all
capable of
failing.
I hope
you
understand
this,
because this
is going
to preserve
you for
the rest
of your
life.
If you're
looking for
a strong
pastor,
this is not
the right
church for
you.
I have
no confidence
in myself
that I can
persevere to
the end.
there's no
guarantee
that I
will never
stumble and
sin and
bring
disrepute to
Christ and
his church.
I fear
that sometimes.
I don't
know sometimes
how many
years I'll
have left
in pastoral
ministry.
I want to
make it to
the end,
but I
don't know
if I
will.
what gives
me hope
is Christ
is preserving
me.
He's
with me.
He walks
with me.
He
strengthens
me when
my hands
are weak.
You're
going to
hit times
in your
life when
you're
going to
feel the
same.
How can
I make
it as
a Christian?
How can
I keep
going?
How can
I keep
fighting
these sins?
How can
I keep
giving?
How can
I keep
loving?
Christ
will
preserve
you.
He will
hold you
fast.
And the
fact that
it's not
our own
strength of
resolve,
but Christ's
intercession
on our
behalf that
decisively
preserves
us,
should encourage
us freely
to confess
our sins
to each
other,
to admit
our weaknesses
and shortcomings
to each
other.
As
Christians,
we never
need to
hide our
weaknesses
and shortcomings
in order to
look stronger
and better
than we
actually are.
We don't
need to
do that.
The people
in the
world have
to do
that.
We don't
because we
have been
accepted by
Christ as
weak and
sinful
people.
His grace
is sufficient
for us and
His power
is made
perfect in
our weakness.
It's when
we're weak
that we
experience God's
power.
It's when
we're
humble that
we receive
God's
grace.
So if
you're
despairing
and you're
feeling
weak,
when you
feel like
you're
giving up,
acknowledge
your weakness
and shortcomings
and cling
to God.
Pray to
Him for
strength.
And finally,
not only
Christ's
service and
intercession,
but also
Christ's
suffering
enables
and
exemplifies
Christian
discipleship.
Jesus
instructs
His
disciples
this way
in
verses
35 to
36,
When I
sent you
out with
no money
bag or
knapsack or
sandals,
did you
lack
anything?
They said
nothing.
He said
to them,
But now
let the
one who
has a
money
bag take
it,
and likewise
a knapsack,
and let
the one
who has
no sword
sell his
cloak and
buy one.
Jesus is
alluding here
to Luke 9
when He
sent out the
twelve to
proclaim the
kingdom of
God,
and also
to Luke
10 when He
sent out the
seventy-two
disciples to
proclaim the
kingdom of
God and
to heal
the sick.
At that
time,
Jesus
instructed His
disciples in
Luke 10
verse 4,
carry no
money bag,
no knapsack,
no sandals,
because He
wanted them to
travel lightly,
forego extra
provisions and
the time it
takes to
prepare them,
and to depend
on the
hospitality of
the people who
receive them
and their
message.
And when
they followed
Jesus'
instructions in
that way,
they lacked
nothing.
But now,
Jesus says,
let the
one who
has the
money
bag take
it,
and likewise
a knapsack,
and let the
one who
has no
sword sell
his cloak
and buy
one.
But why
the sudden
change?
Jesus gives
His reason in
verse 37,
for I tell
you that this
scripture must be
fulfilled in
me.
And He was
numbered with
the transgressors,
for what is
written about
me has its
fulfillment.
Jesus is
quoting from
Isaiah 53,
verse 12,
which we read
in our
assurance of
pardon this
morning.
It's a
prophecy that
says that
Messiah will
pour out His
soul to
death and
be numbered
with the
transgressors,
thereby bearing
the sin of
many and
making intercession
for the
transgressors.
Jesus is
saying that
this prophecy
is fulfilled
in His
impending
death on
the cross.
He will
be treated
as a
sinner,
as a
lawbreaker,
as a
rebel,
and He
will be
persecuted
and killed.
And if
you claim
to follow
as your
King and
your God
and your
Lord,
the man
that was
crucified and
killed for
treason,
you're going
to be treated
the same
way.
So they
can no
longer count
on the
hospitality and
receptivity of
the people,
but instead
must provide
for themselves.
Christ's
suffering
sets the
pattern for
our Christian
lives.
The
apostles,
however,
as they have
often done,
misunderstand
Jesus'
teaching.
They take
Jesus'
words,
let the
one who
has no
sword sell
his cloak
and buy
one,
as a
literal
call to
arms.
And they
say in
verse 38,
look,
Lord,
here are
two swords.
It's kind
of funny,
actually,
if you think
about it,
because if
they're going
to be part
of the
Messiah's
revolutionary
army,
maybe they
think that
they can
avert the
suffering and
death that
Jesus keeps
predicting for
himself by
fighting for
him.
But think
about it,
if you're
going against
all of
Jewish
leadership and
also all
the Roman
authorities,
I mean,
what are you
going to do
with two
swords?
It's
woefully
inadequate.
They've
missed the
point,
so Jesus
just says
to them,
it's
enough.
That's
not what
Jesus has
in mind.
When
Jesus
instructs
his
disciples
to buy
a sword,
that's a
metaphor for
provision
and preparedness,
not a
literal call
to arms.
This is
why later
at Jesus'
arrest in
verses 47
and 53,
when the
disciples
ask,
Lord,
shall we
strike with
a sword?
And Peter
strikes the
servant of
the high
priest and
cuts off
his right
ear,
but Jesus
does not
commend him
for that.
He says,
no more
of this,
and that he
touches the
ear of the
servant and
heals him.
This is also
why in Luke's
sequel in the
book of Acts,
the church
always responds
to persecution
with nonviolence.
Christ never
took up the
sword to
kill.
He never
forced his
subjects to
his cause.
He went to
the cross
instead,
and he died
for the sins
of his people.
So it's
Christ's
suffering,
not conquest,
that exemplifies
Christian
discipleship.
Jesus could
have called
legions of
his angels
to come to
his aid and
overthrow both
the Jewish
leadership and
the Roman
Empire,
but instead
Jesus let
himself be
delivered over
into the
hands of
wicked men.
usually in
warfare,
countless
soldiers are
sacrificed to
protect the
commander-in-chief,
but in this
epic spiritual
warfare, the
king himself
died to
spare his
subjects.
It's only
when we know
and believe
Jesus in
his suffering
that we can
suffer in his
life.
It's because
Christ has
served us,
because Christ
has interceded
for us,
because Christ
has suffered
for us,
that we can
be Christian
disciples.
thus,
them
normale,
not
him
souvenir
company,
for us.
And
of course,
may
he
sayes,
he
need
her
self-
Ann
asc municipal,